• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

Aspire & Achieve Together Holcombe Newsletter July 2018 THE ONWARD JOURNEY CONTENTS INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Message from the Executive Principal 1 Message from the School Captains’ Team 2 Sixth Form Supporting the Community 3 National Writing Day 3 Music Celebration Concert 4 Sixth Form News 5 Duke of Edinburgh News 6 Duke of Edinburgh - Expedition to Ashdown Forest 7 Year 7 Maritime Project 8 Stand Up to Cancer 8 Sports Fixtures 9 A Level and GCSE Geography Trips 11 Year 5 Taster Day 12 The Holcombe Association 12 Year 8 Norfolk Trip 13 National Deaf Children’s Society - Charity Run 14 Imperial College London Visit 14 A Level Commercial Design 15 GCSE Creative Design and Make 16 Art and Design 17 TAG Day in Memory of Michael Bunting 18 Medway Teen Reading Challenge 18 District Athletics Results 19 Kent Science and Technology Challenge Day 20 Moving Forward 20 Music - Extra Curricular 21 Looking Ahead - Important Dates 22 Page 1 HGS Newsletter M ESSAGE FROM THE E XECUTIVE PRINCIPAL As we end another school year, this is an opportunity to reflect upon some of its highlights and celebrate the successes of the summer term. Shortly after the Easter break, OFSTED visited Holcombe and praised the school for setting a culture of high expectations, delivering an inspiring curriculum and for developing resilience and determination in the students’ learning. With our sharp focus on Mastery, Endeavour and Thinking, we are now on an onward journey to move our school to Outstanding over the next 4-5 years. Ms Gage, the new Executive Principal of Holcombe from September, will lead the school in its drive to reach this aspirational goal. She has spent this term introducing herself to the school community and planning for the future with her senior team, and she is very much looking forward to commencing her new role in September. The dedication and commitment of the school captains’ team never ceases to impress me. Their professionalism in the planning of the end of term events has been commendable and Sports’ day and Founders’ day were a great success. Their desire to engage students in respecting the environment and raising money for charity clearly shows how driven they are, and it has been wonderful to work with such a fantastic group of role models. This newsletter truly captures the community ethos of Holcombe Grammar School and makes me extremely proud. This term alone, students have been involved in an array of activities including the Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh award, an aspirations’ trip to London’s prestigious Imperial College, the Year 7 Maritime project at Chatham Dockyard and a regional concert to celebrate excellence in music. The strong sense of community is also illustrated by the amount of charity work that students are involved in, where they have raised money for Stand up to Cancer and the National Deaf Children’s Society. Earlier this year, we were saddened to hear the news of the passing of Mr Michael Bunting, a valued colleague who was a DT Technician for Holcombe for more than three years. As a tribute, his family asked us if we could contribute money to their chosen charity, the British Heart Foundation. We decided to hold a non-uniform day on Friday 29th June in Mike’s memory and I am delighted that students raised £447 for his family’s elected charity. It has been a real pleasure leading the school since January working with such a passionate team of staff, respectful students and dedicated parents who take a keen interest in school life. As Director of Secondary Education for the Thinking Schools’ Academy Trust, I will continue to work with Ms Gage and her school as she shapes its bright future. I wish you all an enjoyable and relaxing summer holiday, and safe travels if you are heading off on vacation. Mr Bassan Executive Principal Page 2 M ESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL CAPTAINS’ TEAM It has been another busy two terms, with the Captains’ Team working hard throughout. While the end of the academic year is always a busy time for the school, with large events running throughout, I did just want to give you a glimpse as to some of the work the team has achieved over the past 10 weeks or so. Right at the start of term 5, Ryan Gray led an assembly, as part of the school’s ‘Respect’ agenda. Ryan focused on our respect for the environment, not only on the school site but also in the wider global context. We had been noticing more litter in the hall before school, and during break and lunch, so it is, therefore, reassuring to see a noticeable improvement in the past few months. The past few terms have also been filled with preparations for our end of term events, including Founders’ and Sports’ days. Students worked hard with their form to prepare their form stall as part of the afternoon of Founders’ day and threw themselves into the various sporting events, including the futsal tournament. We congratulate all of the winners and the students who persisted to represent their House. Finally, the team are organising further charitable donations. We have received a range of books from departments across the school, and are currently sorting through the donations. Wherever possible, books are being donated to a range of local charities, rather than simply being recycled – this is again Holcombe working with and for the local community. As we did earlier in the year, the team will soon be making another donation to Emmaus with unclaimed lost property items. The team has thoroughly enjoyed working for the Holcombe community since January, and I know we are all eager to continue our work after the summer holiday. I hope all students and staff have a very restful break. Michael Cameron (Head Boy) Page 3 SIXTH FORM SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY Holcombe, in its drive to become a school for the community, actively reaches out, and over the past few terms Holcombe Grammar School and the neighbouring primary school, New Horizons Children Academy, have formed a unique relationship. 22 of the current Year 12 students at Holcombe have given their time to forge this special relationship between the two schools, becoming classroom assistants for classes ranging from Reception to Year 5. Once a week the assistants spend an hour with their class providing support for the children in developing their learning and thinking skills. Starting in reception, the assistants work with the children in modelled activities, in which they gain the fundamental thinking skills to endeavour while at New Horizons, giving each child an individual boost in their learning. Last term some of our Year 12 students took part in a scavenger hunt with the pupils from Years 3 and 4. This was engaging for both the children and the assistants - even getting our sixth formers looking! Another aspect is that the assistants offer support not only to the children, engaging them in their learning, but to the teachers. This support aids the teacher in delivering a love for learning, to continue the delivery of a safe learning environment, and to help each and every child achieve their full potential. This also benefits the Year 12 students, as it develops skills and traits which can be used in later life to help in their application for universities, apprenticeships and jobs. Mr Still and myself have started the 'Skills Academy', where during breakfast club a group of Year 5 pupils develop their reading skills via interactive methods, such as linking football and reading. This term we have focused on a book by Tom Palmer, where each chapter is released daily, based on the previous day’s events at the World Cup. After reading each chapter, we use language, which we have learnt from our reading, to describe a football skill, helping them excel in both their reading and thinking skills. Holcombe and New Horizons look forward to growing this unique relationship over the coming years. Jack Wakerly Head Prefect NATIONAL WRITING DAY To celebrate National Writing Day in June, the students of Holcombe were 'let loose' and encouraged to free write. Students from across the school were given access to images and phrases as possible stimuli to enable them to write purely for pleasure. The English and Media Centre embraced the work sent to them during the day as young Holcombe writers 'went live'. Students were delighted to see pictures of their work shared to the nation with plaudits for their originality and writer's craft. Page 4 MUSIC CELEBRATION CONCERT On the evening of Friday 15th June, in the fantastic setting of St. George's Centre in Chatham, nine secondary schools from the Medway area came together to celebrate the amazing musical talents that we have through a Secondary Musical Celebration Concert. The concert included a wide variety of performances including vocal groups, guitarists, pianists, string group ensembles and two sets from the Medway Schools Wind Band directed by Colin Palmer. When I was asked who or what I would like to contribute towards this celebration concert from Holcombe Grammar School, it did not take me long to ask Markus Sadler in Year 8. In the first week of me working at Holcombe Grammar I came out of the staff room to hear piano music coming from the main hall. The Captains’ Team were preparing to deliver an assembly and I wanted to compliment them on their choice of music. However, when I asked them where they were playing it from I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not a music recording I was hearing, but Markus Sadler playing some of his grade 7 pieces on the grand piano, tucked away in the corner of the hall.

Load more

  24

Copy Link